My 4 favourite Ayurvedic morning practices for health
Ayurveda, or loosely translated from Sanskrit , “science of life”, is an ancient practice from India that aimed at making the human body work in harmony with nature, in order to promote health and balance.
Opposite to modern medicine, in Ayurveda, there isn’t a specialist for every inch of our body, but a practitioner who studies how the different parts work together. Equally, there is not a single approach for all of us. There are three Doshas that can tell a lot about our physical, emotional and mental state: Vata (mostly Air) Pitta (mostly Fire) and Kapha (mostly Earth). Elements are key in Ayurveda and being off balance wit any of them can translate into disease.
It is a very in depth practice and it would be impossible to cover every single aspect of it in a blog post, no matter how loosely, but I have taken away my 4 favourite morning practices; which I believe are relevant and suitable to our lifestyle too.
Implementing those daily practices can have a great impact on our health and i hope that you will enjoy the benefits, like I do.
Oil Pulling: Oil pulling may need a little getting used to, I will admit, but once you start it’s awesome. You can use any raw oil (my favorite is coconut) and the rest is quite simple.
Take a teaspoon of oil into your mouth and move it around, as you would mouthwash. The recommended time for the oil to be in your mouth is about 20 minutes. The way I fit this into my schedule is doing oil pulling whilst in the shower; between getting in and drying up, 20 minutes are sure gone. After 20 minutes you can spit the oil in a bin (never in the sink). The oil will be a yellowish colour because all the toxins in your mouth are “pulled” away with it (hence oil pulling). Bonus: over time expect your teeth to be whiter too :)
Tongue scraping: We brush our teeth daily but most people seem to forget about their tongues. Our tongues are incredibly important, toxins and bacteria accumulate on it quite rapidly during the day. A lot of problem who suffer from bad breath can see the difference when tongue scraping. Tongue scrapers are available in most drug stores, whether they are in plastic or metal. The most popular ones I have seen are in copper. If price is a concern, then you can get a plastic one (it will last for years) which comes roughly to £3 ($5) . The way to use it is easy: Brush your teeth as normal and then before using mouthwash/rinsing the mouth, scrape your tongue going from the back to the front. Do not start too far back into your mouth, as you could stimulate your gag reflex, and never push the scraper backwards; you do not want the toxins to go back into your system. This is such an amazing practice, your mouth will feel squeaky clean.
Massage your body: Daily massages are an essential in Ayurvedic medicine. On my trip to India in 2014, I visited an Ayurvedic doctor and when we discussed body care, massages were on top of her list. Obviously in Ayurveda, there are dozens of oils made from herbs; which are meant for any body part. Safe to say I came back with about 30 bottles (you absolutely don’t need to get so many). Using any oil (like sweet almond) allow yourself 10 minutes of self massaging right after your shower and, when you can, allow yourself to go for a professional one. . When it comes to massages I certainly believe you need to find the right therapist, as energy is a key component of being able to relax and heal. Massaging regularly will allow your circulation to get better and you are also helping your lymphatic system getting rid of toxins from your body. Not bad hey?
Support your digestive system: in Ayurvedic medicine, as it is in functional medicine, the gut plays a key role in keeping a healthy body and immune system. The key here is to make sure you “go” before you ingest anything at all. Morning evacuation is key as the gut should be ready to expel all the toxins and waste from the day before.
Yoga is a great practice to implement first thing in the morning as it allows the digestive system to move. Drinking warm water is also a way to get things moving. Obviously throughout the day you can adopt the wonderful habits of drinking Turmeric teas * to help your gut work well, as well as the immune system with its anti-inflammatory properties. If you suffer from digestive disorders and constipation, you can also explore using a quality probiotic. To learn more about the right kind for Constipation, we have linked an article by Optibac, here
Those great tips will change your life for the better; I can ensure you. I never regret spending time doing any of those things and in fact, when I skip a day or two I feel it!
I am forever thankful to Ayurveda and Yoga for the wisdom imparted through them and how relevant they remain to this day.
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